For many years it has been a widespread practice to use wooden pallets for the storage and transporting of large containers such as barrels, kegs and the like. Wooden pallets are used in almost every facet of manufacturing and delivery.
However, there are a number of drawbacks to the use of wooden pallets, particularly in the realm of economics and practicability. From a practicability standpoint, wooden pallets are difficult to maintain and after a period of time, are rendered ineffective for use when subject to normal abuse in the trade. Furthermore, where wooden pallets are subject to contact with liquid substances, the wood can rapidly deteriorate. From an economic standpoint, the wooden pallets have a shorter life than pallets formed of other materials and in addition are more costly in terms of purchase price than pallets formed of non-wooden materials.
Many problems are inherent in the use of wooden pallets in a wide variety of applications. The wooden pallets are constructed by placing the frame members and cover boards in the desired locations and securing the same by means of nails or staples. However, after some use, these metal securement means are ultimately urged out of their point of securement thereby rendering the pallet defective. Vibration, which often results from carrying the pallets on a moving vehicle, causes the nails or other metal fasteners to work out of their fastening positions. Furthermore, the wooden pallets have a substantially greater weight than a plastic pallet constructed of substantially equal size. Consequently, freight costs are higher when wooden pallets are employed over plastic counterpart pallets.
There are other less obvious, but nevertheless, serious disadvantages in the use of wooden pallets. The fibrous nature of wood used in the wooden pallets does not readily lend the pallets to complete sterilization, which may be desirable in many applications. For example, when pallets are exposed to caustic substances such a common industrial acids and the like. A single exposure to these caustic substances not only reduces the commercial life of wooden pallets but often prohibits any further use. In addition, wooden pallets are limited to either a longitudinal or transverse skid passageway. Thus, access to the wooden pallet and its load is limited to two of the four potential directions.
It would be a benefit, therefore, to have a pallet which has a locking mechanism which maintains the means securing the pallet in a rigid structure in a fastened position. It would be further benefit to have a pallet constructed of a plastic which does not deteriorate when contacted by an array of common fluids. It would be an additional benefit, to have a pallet with a base which channels fluids away from the pallet. It would also be of a benefit to have a pallet accessible by a fork lift through both longitudinal and transverse skid passageways.